Index card and holder therefor



Apriflfi 31951 M. v. NELSON ET AL INDEX CARD AND HOLDER THEREFOR Filed March 26, 1949 Patented Apr. 3, 1951 Melven V. Nelson and Ernest H. Seibert, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Autopoint Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application March 26, 1949, Serial No. 83,714

i 1 I The present invention relates to an index of the type including a plurality of alphabetically arranged cards each containing names, telephone numbers, addresses or other desired data, and each card adapted to be elevated to open, visible position by depressing one of a series of keys each bearing one or more letters of thefalphabet, and more particularly to a novel construction and arrangement of index cards and card holder or plate therefor.

Among the objects of the present invention is the'provision of a novel construction of index cards and a novel holder or supporting plate therefor, detachably receiving and supporting these cards in such manner as to permit any individual card to be inserted, removed or replaced without the necessity of removing other cards from the holder or plate.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a novel plate holder or support of metal or other rigid material having at one end a plurality of spaced arcuate projections,

'and a plurality of cards or sheets preferably arranged alphabetically or in a desired sequence and each card or sheet slotted at one end for receiving the arcuate projections whereby these cards or sheets are "held in assembled relation, said projections and the cards or sheets being 'so slotted as to permit any card or sheet to be quickly removed and replaced without disturbing or removing those cards or sheets disposed above or below the one to be removed or replaced.

The present invention further comprehends the provision of a novel holder or base plate having a plurality of spaced arcuate projections or tongues for receiving and supporting a plurality of index cards, said projections or tongues being provided intermediate their ends with oppositely opening notches for receiving the slotted ends of the cards in such manner that any one or more of the cards may be inserted, removed or replaced through said notches without disturbing the remaining cards. Where the cards are indexed in a predetermined sequence or stacked arrangement, the abilityto insert, remove or replace any card without removing those overlying it is an important advantage.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a novel card having its end so notched that it may be quickly assembled and retained in position, and just as readily removed.

Further objects are to provide iaiconstruction of maximum simplicity, efficiency economy and ease of assembly and operation, and "such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later 5 Claims. (01. 40-104) more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

The invention further resides in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawing, and while there is shown therein a preferred embodiment,

it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change, and comprehends other details, arrangements of parts and features without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an index assembly of the type with which the present invention may be employed, the index being shown in closed position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the rear or pivotal end of the index assembly in open, operative position and showing some of --the index cards or sheets in elevated position and resting upon the hinge elements of the cover.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View of the rear or upper end of the novel holder or supporting plate and of one of the cards detached therefrom.

Fig. 4 is a view in vertical cross section taken in a planerepresented by the line 1-4 of Fig. 2.

; Referring to the disclosure in the drawing and especially to the embodiment selected therein as illustrative of the present invention, there is shown a telephone index of the type and con- ,struction disclosed in the co-pending applications of Hans A. Bauer, Serial No. 633,063, filed July 12, 1946, and of George Manning and Ernest H. Seibert, Serial No. 762,712, filed July 22, 1947, now Patent 2,541,881. Such an index comprises hollow base section I having upstanding side ,walls 2 and 3 suitably spaced apart, a rear wall 4, a base 5 and a front, inclined wall or ledge .6 having a number of staggered slots through ,each of which projects a key or push button 1.

These keys or push buttons shown located in two rows are each marked with one or more let- ;ters of the alphabet and when a key or button .is depressed, such key releases a cover or closure .8 pivotally mounted about a transverse pin ,or cross rod 9 extending through spaced depending lugs Hl'carried by the cover or closure. Springs II encompassing the pin or cross rod 33 engage and elevate the cover or closure when the latter is released, whereby the cover or closure is springbiased to open or elevated position each time a key or button I is depressed. The construction of the base section provides a space l2 for the "reception of a memo pad 01' note paper and a longitudinally extending ledge I3 at each side thereof. Upon the longitudinally extending ledges i3 is loosely mounted a card holder or plate I4 for supporting a plurality of cards i5.

This card holder or plate l4 may be of sheet metal or other rigid material and is pivotally mounted at one end in the base I. At this end it is formed or provided with a plurality of spaced arcuate tongues or projections I6 of substantial width adapted to receive and retain in proper position and arrangement the stack of index cards I 5. To pivotally mount this rear end in the base section I, the card holder or plate I4 is provided at its opposite edges with an inturned and upstanding ear or flange I! each having a recess 18 for receiving the cross pin or rod 9 and an inclined end IQ for guiding or directing these cars or flanges over the pin or rod when the plate or holder is assembled.

To retain the card holder or plate I4 upon the "cross pin or rod 9, the end of the holder or plate is further formed or provided with a plurality of spaced spring fingers or projections 20 disposed intermediate the arcuate tongues or projections 56. Each finger or projection 26 has its outer endl 2i inclined or curved downwardly to guide the card holder or plate onto the cross pin or rod 9 until the latter seats in the recesses IS in the ears Or flanges I'I disposed at the opposite edges of the card holder, whereupon the card holder and its cards are retained against accidental removal or displacement. However, it is to be understood that the card holder and cards may be bodily removed by a rearward pull whereby to disengage the ears or flanges 11 from the cross pin or rod 9, or the individual cards may be removed in accordance with the present invention without removal of the card holder as required in the prior devices.

To permit the insertion, removal or replacement of any card from the card holder without disturbing the remainder, the present invention comprehends providing each arcuate projection or tongue 6 with a pair of aligned but oppositely or laterally opening slots or notches 22 and 23 disposed at or approximately at the uppermost portion or crest of these arcuate members' At the forward or near side of these notches, each arcuate projection or tongue I6 is embossed or provided with raised portions 24 and 25 along each edge thereof for guiding or directing the cards into position. These embossments or raised portions are of substantial length and of increasing depth where they form or define one side of the notches, as shown clearly in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The surface on the projections or tongues it defining the other side of these notches is preferably coined, rounded or inclined at 26 (see Fig. 4) to permit easy operation and the ready insertion, removal or replacement of one or more cards through the laterally or oppositely opening slots or notches 22 and 23.

The end of each index card or sheet I which is mounted upon its holder is reduced at 21 at the opposite corners and this reduced end is provided with approximately T-shaped and openended notches or slots 28 opening outwardly or downwardly and spaced apart to conform to the spacing of the arcuate projections or tongues IS. The width of each slot or notch 28 varies from the narrow width of the stem of the T which is but slightly greater. than the width of the web of the projections or tongues between the slots or notches 22 and 23, to the width of' the transverse or c ss slot of the T which is slightly 4 greater than the width of the projections or tongues at their widest portion. Thus the index cards when assembled are retained so assembled until the operator wishes to remove one or more of the cards, whereupon movement of any card to a vertically aligned position with the notches or slots 22 and 23, permits a lifting and removal of such card through these notches or slots.

Each notch or slot 28 in the index cards is relieved at 29 at the opposite sides of the stem of the T and also at 39 at the ends of the transverse or cross slot of the T to provide a depending tongue or projection 3| of such width as to be ccnformably received between the embossments or raised portions 24 and 25 and engage the arcuate projections l6 therebetween whereby to facilitate alignment and insertion or replacement of a card and lift and maintain the cards above the embossment to prevent these cards from catching onto the ends of the raised portions or embossments as they pivot or move over theprojections or tongues l6. Thus it will be seen that the insertion, removal or replacement of a card is readily accomplished when the slotted edge of the card is moved into substantially vertical 'or edgewise alignment with the slots or notches 22 and 23 in the arcuate projections or tongues I 6.

From the above description and the disclosure in the drawing, it will be apparent that the present invention comprehends a novel means and manner of pivotally mounted a plurality of index cards or sheets in superimposed relation upon a card holder or supporting plate and in which any one of these cards that are preferably arranged in alphabetical order or other sequence may be removed, inserted or replaced without disturbing adjacent cards or any cards overlying the one to be removed or replaced.

Having thus disclosed the invention, we claim:

1. In an index having a base and a cover pivo ally mounted in the base and spring-biased to open position, a plurality of alphabetically arranged index cards containing name's, telephone numbers or other desired data, a plate'mounted in the base and providing a card holder for supporting the index cards in pre-arranged and superimposed relation in the base, said plate having spaced curved tongues at one end providing a pivotal mounting for the cards upon the plate, open-ended slots in each card spaced similar to and adapted to receive the tongues, and oppositely opening slots in the curved tongues adapted to receive the slotted end of the cards and retain these cards upon the plate, but permitting removal or replacement of any card, as desired.

2. In an index for selecting and exposing any one of a plurality of cards ccntaining names, telephone numbers or other information, a card holder, a plurality of cards alphabetically arranged upon the holder, and means for pivotally mounting these cards in alphabetical and stacked arrangement whereby any cardwithin the stack may-be elevated to expose the information contained thereon, said means including spaced arcuate tongues on the card holder provided with a pair of transversely aligned and .oppositely opening slots, and open-ended slots y card when its slots are aligned wit 'g .slots in the tongues;

3. In an index having a stationary base a cover pivotally mounted in the base zindspringbiased to open position, a card holder mounted in the base, a plurality of alphabetically arranged cards supported on the base, and means for pivotally mounting an end of each card upon an end of the holder, said means comprising spaced tongues projecting from said end of the holder and having the opposite edges of the tongues notched to provide oppositely opening slots, and outwardly opening slots provided in said end of each card and with these latter slots spaced similarly to the spacing of the tongues to permit each card to be individually removed or inserted when the end of such card is aligned with the slots in the tongues.

4. In an index having a stationary base and a cover pivotally mounted in the base and springbiased to open position, a card holder mounted in the base, a plurality of cards supported on said holder in a predetermined, superimposed relation, said holder having at one end a plurality of spaced curved projections for receiving and mounting an end of the cards for free pivotal movement, each projection having a pair of similarly located and laterally extending and outwardly opening narrow slots, and substantially T-shaped and open-ended slots provided at said end of the cards and spaced in conformity with the spacing of the curved projections whereby any card of said stack may be removed when said slotted end is aligned edgewise with respect to the outwardly opening slots in the projections.

5. In an index, a card holder having a plurality of spaced arcuat projections at one end,

a plurality of index cards pivotally mounted at one end of said projections in stacked relation, and means for permitting removal and replacement of any one of the cards from its mounting on the arcuate projections without removing or disturbing the remainder, said means including aligned transverse slots in the upper portion of said projections with the opposite edges of said projections adjacent the slots being embossed, the adjacent end of the cards being notched to provide open-ended substantially T-shaped slots with the slots being relieved at the opposite corners to provide a depending tongue adapted to engage the upper surface of said projections intermediate the embossments and thereby elevate the cards in their pivotal movement onto the embossments and to facilitate the removal and replacement of the cards.

' MELVEN V. NELSON.

ERNEST H. SEIBERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,141,761 Pollock Dec. 27, 1938 2,186,436 Shaler Jan. 9, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 161,186 Switzerland June 16, 1933 

